The luminaries by Susan Dennard

Sixteen-year-old Winnie Wednesday lives in Hemlock Falls, a town where an ancient order,  the Luminaries, stalk and kill nightmares – monsters that roam the forest. Winnie’s family was ostracized from the society when her father was accused of being a traitor. Bullied and shunned, by friends and relatives alike, she longs to be a member of the elite group of hunters, knowing that would reinstate her family’s standing.  The only way back is to succeed in the deadly hunter trials even though she has not had the rigorous training of other contestants. With the help of Jay Friday, her ex-best friend, she faces the trials and the horrific monsters in the forest.

The book is very easy to read and the action moves along at a fast pace. Winnie faces nightmares in the forest, many graphically drawn in full page illustrations with a description, and these add to the enjoyment of the book. She is a young woman who is very easy to relate to: she stoically faces unkind comments from her classmates and the reader empathises as she recalls the companionship of Jay and Erica, who had been her best friends prior to her father’s disgrace. And no one will believe her when she speaks of the Whisperer, an entity in the forest that even the monsters are afraid.

Romance lovers will enjoy the slow-burn romance between Winnie and Jay, while readers who like action, monsters and horror and short chapters will escape into The Luminaries. While waiting for the next instalment, readers may enjoy the monsters in The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan, Dread nation by Justina Ireland, Highway bodies by Alison Evans and The bone houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones.

Themes: Monsters, Bullying, Coming of age, Fantasy.

Pat Pledger